Plastic Bags Banned

A. Beginning November 1, 2011, Charleston County will no longer accept the disposal of yard waste in plastic bags at the Compost Facility at Bees Ferry Landfill, or its Convenience Centers, located in the rural areas of the County.

A. Charleston County is banning the disposal of plastic yard waste bags at the Compost Facility at Bees Ferry Landfill and its Convenience Centers for two primary reasons:

1. To eliminate the environmental impact of the plastic, because:
   • the plastic does not break down.
   • the plastic is ground with the compost, leaving small pieces of plastic in the end product.
   • the plastic creates a litter problem out at the landfill and for those who use it.
2. To enhance the overall quality of the compost produced, which will:
   • increase its potential end use - i.e., a beneficial addition to golf course and sports turf management, wetland restoration, water conservation, and for top soil and potting soil manufacturers.
   • increase its marketability.
   • offset operational costs.

In 2010, Charleston County's Compost Facility at Bees Ferry Landfill received over 59,000 tons of yard waste from municipalities, towns and public service districts, 68% more than the previous year. Despite every effort to manually remove the plastic, it was virtually impossible due to the sheer volume of the incoming yard waste. As a result, Charleston County concluded that the best option was to no longer accept the disposal of yard waste in plastic bags at the Compost Facility.

A.

• Charleston County residents with yard waste
• Yard Waste Collectors
  • Haulers servicing Municipalities, Towns and Public Service Districts
  • Private Haulers
• Commercial yard waste generators

A. Charleston County citizens may bring their yard waste in plastic bags or containers, but it must be emptied in the designated yard waste drop-off area without the plastic bags. Yard waste will be accepted loose or in paper yard waste bags at these locations.

A. If Charleston County citizens are placing their yard waste by the curb, they need to check with their local municipality, town, public service district (PSD) or private hauler to determine how to place the yard waste at the curb. For more information on how your local municipality, town, PSD or private hauler would like for you to place your yard waste at the curb, beginning November 1, 2011, please refer to the Yard Waste Hauler Reference Sheet.

A. Charleston County Environmental Management staff tried to sort out the plastic bags for over a year, which included spreading out truckloads of yard waste material flat on the ground and hand removing all of the plastic bags. This practice was not only inefficient and very labor-intensive, it was also virtually impossible to do, due to the quantity of yard waste received each week (500 truckloads a week).

A. There are several reasons why compostable plastic bags are not the solution:

• First and foremost, they are hard to identify from regular plastic bags, especially when the Environmental Management staff unloads 100 trucks a day at the Compost Facility.
• Compostable plastic bags will not compost in the time frame necessary for Charleston County's composting process, which takes 60-120 days. Some compostable bags can take up to 150-240 days.
• Compostable bags can be cost-prohibitive for the end user.

A. Actually, your local municipality, town, public service district (PSD) or private hauler determines how they will pick up your yard waste at the curb, and this can vary depending on where you live. Charleston County has, however, made it clear to all municipalities, towns, PSDs and private haulers that it will no longer accept yard waste in plastic bags at the Compost Facility at Bees Ferry Landfill, as of November 1, 2011. If you have questions about how your local municipality, town, public service district or private hauler wants you to prepare this material for collection, please contact them directly. Yard Waste Hauler Reference Sheet.

A. Here are some of the reasons why:

• Plastic contamination significantly reduces the market outlets and opportunities for compost resale.
• Plastic contamination "litters" the Compost Facility and sensitive areas surrounding the facility at Bees Ferry Landfill, including waterways and areas where a variety of birds migrate.
• Plastic contamination is lightweight and becomes airborne easily and travels a greater distance, making it a more difficult to control litter problem.
• Removal of the plastic bags allows the overage from the screening process to be used for other purposes, for example: boiler fuel, erosion control, or the ability to reuse it as rough compost
• Removal of the plastic improves the material supplied for alternative daily cover for the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Landfill.

A. Charleston County is only changing the way yard waste (grass clippings, branches, leaves, etc.) is handled at the compost area. How you handle your household trash will not be affected by the ban.